Mark Bugnaski | Kalamazoo GazetteSteve East, left, walks toward Kalamazoo County sheriff's deputies with his attorney, Anthony R. Toweson, after being sentenced to one year in jail for causing the death of Eljean Lee Belmonte, 61, last summer while he was driving drunk on Gull Road.

KALAMAZOO — If Steven Alan East could trade places with the woman he killed last summer while driving drunk on Gull Road, he would, his attorney told the judge who sentenced the head of a Kalamazoo construction firm to one year in jail.

“That night he made a horrible mistake that he will have to live with for the rest of his life,” attorney Anthony R. Toweson told Kalamazoo County Circuit Judge Pamela L. Lightvoet before East was sentenced Monday.

“He’s accepted full responsibility of his action. He knows he hurt a lot of people. When he gets out, he will rededicate his life to being a good community leader.”

East, 57, of Augusta, is CEO of CSM Group. He struck Eljean Lee Belmonte, 61, with his car as she was crossing Gull Road near Humphrey Street shortly after 10 p.m. July 26.

Police have said Belmonte stepped in front of East’s car. East, however, had a blood-alcohol level of 0.20 percent, authorities said after administering two breathalyzer tests, which is more than twice the legal limit of 0.08 percent.

Belmonte died of her injuries on Aug. 19 at Borgess-Pipp Hospital in Plainwell.

East, who could have faced up to 15 years in prison on the charge of operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated causing death, pleaded guilty on April 1, agreeing to the one-year jail term.

On Monday, East apologized to Belmonte’s family and thanked them for meeting with him. The experience has had a “deep and profound” affect on his life, he said.

“I will carry this with me for the rest of my life,” he said.

Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Stuart Fenton noted that East is not a typical defendant seen in the courtroom — he has no prior criminal record and is a “very successful” member of the community.

“I’m sure if he could take back that moment in time he would, but unfortunately he can’t and as a result of his actions, someone is dead,” Fenton said.

Lightvoet agreed.

In addition to the year in jail, the judge ordered East to spend five years on probation, during which time he may not consume alcohol. For the first six months he is to be connected to an electronic tether that will test for alcohol use. He was also ordered to pay a $2,500 fine, $1,422 in victim restitution, court costs, and state fees.

A second charge, negligent homicide, was dismissed as part of the plea agreement.

“No one can take away what you have given to the community,” Lightvoet told East before sheriff’s deputies led him out of the courtroom. “But at the end of the day, a person is dead as the result of a drunk driver.”